“Yeah, I am.” I nodded slowly. “Well, he texted me today. To apologize and explain what happened the other day.”
“Before or after we had sex?” He pursed his lips. “Before or after you went crazy?”
“I didn’t go crazy.” I glared at him. “And this has nothing to do with him.” I waved my arms between us. “This has everything to do with us and just us.”
“Yeah, okay.” He shook his head in disgust. “Don’t even try and lie to me, Lara. Just an hour ago you were screaming out my name and now you’re putting on your clothes, mumbling some bullshit about relationships, and being confused and not explaining shit to me. And you’re telling me this has nothing to do with the text message you just got from some dipshit guy that you’ve been seeing the last week who wanted to put ice cream on your body and lick it off.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” I shook my head at him. “You’re fucking crazy. I never said he wanted to put ice cream on my body and lick it off.Youdid.”
“If you want that so bad, I have some vanilla downstairs. I can go and get it and lick it off you now. If that’s what you want.”
“You’re a pig,” I screamed at him, my eyes wide. I wasn’t even sure how we had descended so low so quickly. “How dare you?”
“I’m all about sex, right? So I guess I dare a lot of things. Shit, why don’t you bend over right now and I’ll stick it in your ass as well?”
“Parker.” I stared at him in shock, unable to believe he’d just said that. He looked back at me, his face looking as shocked as mine, and he handed me my phone silently. “I think I’m going to leave now,” I said softly as I grabbed my phone.
“Whatever.” He turned around and walked out of the room, leaving me standing there with trembling fingers. I pressed down on the phone to see the text that Luke had sent me that had sent everything over the edge, and sighed.“Also, I just wanted to say that our kiss the other night was magical. I think I saw a shooting star when we pulled apart and I wanted you to know that I made a wish. My wish was that every kiss we shared would be as special as that one. Hopefully it will still come true.”
I looked at the screen for another few seconds and tears streamed down my face and onto the phone as I read Luke’s words. Why was this so complicated? Why wasn’t it Parker who was sending me these sweet texts? And more importantly, how was it possible to feel like I liked two guys? And how did I get over these thoughts and feelings? Everything was a real mess and I knew I had no idea what to do to figure it out. Not that it really mattered. As far as I was concerned, I was done with Parker once and for all, and this time I meant it.
Chapter 17
Parker
I heardthe door slam behind Lara as she left my apartment, and I continued to sit on my couch for a few seconds, seething. I had no idea why she was so angry and I couldn’t believe she was playing me. Did she really have feelings for Luke? Reading in that text message that they’d kissed had made me see red. She’d kissed him? I’d been texting her every day. I’d been thinking about her. Worrying she’d been mad at me. I’d been there, hoping to see her and hoping she’d been going through the same thing. And now I find out that she’s making out with other guys? Perverted guys who wanted to lick ice cream off of her. I was pissed. How dare she play me? I could feel myself growing angry. How dare she pretend she was angry because we’d had sex and try and make it seem like the reason she was angry was because I’d said I didn’t think we were ready to be boyfriend and girlfriend.
What the hell did she expect?
Would any reasonable woman think they were dating someone they’d never been on a date with before? She should have said she wanted to go on a date if that was what she wanted. How was I to know? I mean really, I’m not a mind reader.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized she was just using me. She’d slept with me because she was on the rebound with Luke because she thought he’d dumped her and wasn’t interested, and then he’d texted and she’d felt guilty and now was taking it out on me.
I was pissed.
She’d used me.
I sat on the couch, seething, angry at her, but in my heart I knew I wasn’t completely right. I knew that inside there was more going on here and I just didn’t want to acknowledge it. I shifted on the couch and grabbed my phone. There was only one person I could call right now. Only one person who would know what to say and how to help.
“Parker?” Mila’s voice sounded surprised as she answered the phone.
“Yes, it’s me, your stupid big brother,” I said sheepishly into the phone.
“What’s going on? Where’s Lara? Isn’t she with you? Oh my God, is everything okay? Was there an accident?” Mila’s voice sounded anxious.
“She’s fine. I mean, at least she’s not hurt from an accident.” I sighed. “I don’t know what’s going on. I need to talk to you. Like, really talk to you. I know you’re Lara’s best friend and you don’t want to betray her confidence, but I need to talk to you, Mila. You’re my sister and you’re the only one I trust to be honest with me, and I really need your honesty right now.”
“What’s going on, Parker?” Mila’s voice was worried. “Please tell me everything is okay.”
“I don’t know.” I sighed down the phone line. “I really don’t know.”
“What happened?” Mila sighed. “Hold on, I’m going to go and sit down.”
“Yeah, you should do that.” I sighed again and closed my eyes. “I don’t even know what’s going on with Lara. I don’t understand her, Mila. I don’t understand what she wants or doesn’t want.”
“Start from the beginning,” Mila said softly.
“I’m sure you know we’ve had sex. Don’t lecture me, I know it was foolish of me,” I said, even though I knew I would have done it again in a heartbeat.
